A synthetic narcotic said to be 100 times more powerful than morphine, it’s used in the form of skin patches for painkilling purposes — but local pharmacists and addictions counsellors warn that it’s fast replacing oxycodone as the drug of choice for opioid abusers.

According to addictions counsellor Vonda Mazarakis, demand by addicts for fentanyl patches has risen to the point where a single patch can command $250 on the street.

“People (with prescriptions) are selling their own,” Mazarakis said.

Tim Baxter, director of the non-profit counselling centre Crossroads, has heard similar stories.

He said his clients have told him about squeezing and popping the gel out of the transdermal patches, or even chewing the patches like gum to get at the drug content.

“It’s crazy to see how desperate people will become,” Baxter said. “And wherever there’s a buck to be made, there’s going to be people doing it.”

According to Brady, the popularity of fentanyl patches among addicts can be attributed to the introduction of OxyNEO — the upgraded formulation of OxyContin.

Approved for Canadian distribution in February, OxyNEO was designed with features to prevent it from being chewed, crushed or dissolved by abusers.

Since the oxycodone pills are no longer an easy high, Brady said the addicts have now turned their attention and ingenuity to fentanyl.

He said he’s seen online posts by addicts sharing information on how to get the quickest fix from specific brands of fentanyl patches, such as Duragesic.

“It’s insane.They’ve got it exactly down. If you have this brand of patch, you need to cut a square of this centimetre size, and if you cook it, this is the dose you’ll get,” Brady said.

“The patches are designed to release the drug over time. These guys are cutting them up and putting them under the tongue for faster absorption, or heating them up to try to get the drug out.”

Windsor police spokesman Sgt. Matthew D’Asti said drug enforcement officers are aware of fentanyl patches being prized by addicts — among other narcotics.

In June, a 24-year-old man robbed the Shoppers Drug Mart at 7720 Tecumseh Rd. East — handing the pharmacist a note that demanded OxyContin, Dilaudid, and fentanyl patches.

The man fled with a bag full of drugs. He was found dead the next day.

Baxter said he had a client who discontinued therapy and also ended up robbing a drugstore — taking only fentanyl patches in the crime.

Baxter said the client later died from an overdose. “He had them up and down both arms. He applied multiple patches to himself.”

Dr. Tony Hammer of the Erie-St. Clair methadone clinic believes physicians should be much more judicious about prescribing fentanyl patches due to the likelihood of the product making its way to the street.

Hammer said he asks his own patients to return their discarded patches because a patch can retain as much as 40 per cent of its dose after use.

But Brady emphasized that the vast majority of those prescribed fentanyl use it for legitimate pain control reasons. Terminal cancer patients especially require the patches for relief.

“Patients that should be on it are chronic pain sufferers — people that really need the medication.”

Brady said many pharmacies — including his own — are having to find a balance between carrying a quantity of fentanyl that will fulfil patient needs, and limiting that quantity so as not to make their workplace a target for desperate addicts.

Brady hopes a new provincewide system that tracks narcotic prescriptions will help curb abuse. But he admitted that the burgeoning street market for the patches is “something we never really thought of.”

“When someone would come in for OxyContin, it kind of put something in your mind. Fentanyl is one of those things that’s sneaking up.”

Patient instructions on use of Duragesic – a brand of Fentanyl patch. Local addiction counsellors say the patches have become the pharmaceutical of choice for opioid abusers. (Handout / The Windsor Star)

Lively discourse is the lifeblood of any healthy democracy and The Star encourages readers to engage in robust debates about our stories. But, please, avoid personal attacks and keep your comments respectful and relevant. If you encounter abusive comments, click the "X" in the upper right corner of the comment box to report spam or abuse. The Star is Using Facebook Comments. Visit our FAQ page for more information.

Many cancer survivors would tell you how they view their bodies differently. Some may lament the legacy of their disease. And often there's not much spoken about the struggle that exists in the realization that their lives - and their bodies - will never be the same again.

Frequent sauna baths may help you live longer, a study of Finnish men suggests. It would be welcome news if proven true — in Finland where hot, dry saunas are commonplace, and for Americans shivering in a snowy Nordic-like winter.

Britain has become the first country in the world to allow the creation of human embryos from the DNA of three people, a technique intended to help mothers avoid passing on genetically degenerative diseases to their babies.